Exodus 7
Exodus 7 describes the scene in which Moses and Aaron begin to move decisively in front of Pharaoh, according to God’s command, to set the Israelites free. God appoints Moses as God’s representative (proxy) right in front of Pharaoh, and designates Aaron to serve as his spokesperson.
The central event of this chapter is the first plague, the miracle in which the waters of the Nile turn into blood. Through this, God demonstrates His power to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to all the people, revealing that He is the true Creator God—not merely a god of nature.
1verseThe LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
2verseYou shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
3verseI will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4verseBut Pharaoh will not listen to you, so I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring out my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5verseThe Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring the children of Israel out from among them.”
6verseMoses and Aaron did so. As the LORD commanded them, so they did.
7verseMoses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8verseThe LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
9verse“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Perform a miracle!’ then you shall tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent.’”
10verseMoses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as the LORD had commanded. Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11verseThen Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments.
12verseFor they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
13versePharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.
14verseThe LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.
15verseGo to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he is going out to the water. You shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him. You shall take the rod which was turned to a serpent in your hand.
16verseYou shall tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness. Behold, until now you haven’t listened.”
17verseThe LORD says, “In this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold: I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
18verseThe fish that are in the river will die and the river will become foul. The Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the river.”’”
19verseThe LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood. There will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”
20verseMoses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
21verseThe fish that were in the river died. The river became foul. The Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river. The blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.
22verseThe magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their enchantments. So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.
23versePharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart.
24verseAll the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink the river water.
25verseSeven days were fulfilled, after the LORD had struck the river.
Flow of the Chapter’s Structure
- Verses 1–7: God tells Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh and deliver His commands, and He also says in advance that Pharaoh will harden his heart. At the same time, God makes it clear that He will perform miracles according to His own will.
- Verses 8–13: When Moses and Aaron, following God’s instructions, perform the miracle of throwing their staff down in front of Pharaoh, it becomes a serpent. The Egyptian magicians also follow suit in a similar way, but this demonstrates that God’s power is greater: Aaron’s staff swallows their staffs (serpents). Even so, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened.
- Verses 14–25: The first plague—when the Nile’s water turns into blood—comes down. Despite how severe it is, to the point that the Egyptians cannot find drinking water, Pharaoh hardens his heart and does not send away the Israelites.
Overall Meaning and Message
This chapter is the first stage in which God directly intervenes in the land of Egypt, implying that no matter how strongly human power (Pharaoh) appears, it cannot help but be overcome. It also shows that through miracles and plagues, only God is the true One with real power.
By Moses and Aaron obeying God’s word and taking on their assigned roles in cooperation with one another, they demonstrate an example of faith-filled partnership and obedience. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, and no matter what signs are shown, he does not open his heart; however, God remains patient and keeps leading history forward in order to bring His promises to fulfillment.
Reflection Points
- Through the event in which the Nile’s waters—considered by the Egyptian king and people as something like a god—are changed, reflect on how God revealed that He alone is over all created things.
- Like Moses and Aaron, consider where the strength comes from that enables us to obey God’s word even in situations that are sometimes hard to understand or filled with fear.
- It would be good to take time to examine whether, in our lives, there are any areas where our hearts are hardened or where we do not trust God, as seen in Pharaoh’s stubborn hardening of his heart despite the signs.
Personal Application
- Obedience: Check how you can put into practice your attitude of promptly obeying God’s word in your life today.
- Cooperation: Reflect on how, in the roles given to you, you can cooperate with fellow believers in faith to carry out God’s will.
- Trust: Think about what you would need in order to live through the day with the trust that God’s plan will be fulfilled, even when circumstances are difficult.
